Eyewitness says police still have not asked what he and other witnesses saw; victim tried to withdraw complaint, but police refused
Cops say retired 4-star general choked delivery driver, resisted arrest; eyewitness says cops over-reacted, dispute didn’t happen the way warrants allege.
William “Bill” Livsey, 84, of Fayetteville, a retired four-star general and Silver Star recipient for heroism, ordered home delivery for himself and three other companions from a Chinese restaurant just before 7 p.m. Aug. 15.
Within a couple of hours that Saturday night, the highly decorated retired officer was handcuffed with bloody arms inside a Fayetteville police unit on his way to be booked into jail on charges including theft of services, two counts of obstruction of officers, simple assault, terroristic threats and acts, as well as a felony charge of robbery, according to magistrate court warrants and police reports.
Livsey’s bail bond was set at $12,000.
Following questions from The Citizen, Police Chief Scott Pitts, City Manager Ray Gibson and Mayor Greg Clifton have released their side of the story.
The general’s personal caregiver and driver, Tim Bedgood of Sharpsburg, gives a sharply different version of events.
Bedgood charges the multiple officers (“seven cop cars and nine officers”) mishandled the complaint, including handcuffing the 84-year-old so tightly his wrists bled.
The official version “is not accurately portrayed,” Bedgood said, adding that he and two women were in the home from the time the call for takeout was made until the takeout delivery driver left the home.
Bedgood said he left to pay the food bill in person at the restaurant, and when he returned, police in force had Livsey in cuffs outside with individual police units stationed at several intersections in the neighborhood.
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Rusty - I pinged you over an example of "a law enforcement presence to protect our communities".
Really? NINE officers to put the pinch on an 84-year-old guy?
REALLY?
We're beginning to see this "pack of coon hounds" mentality A LOT everywhere in the country. It's not pretty.
It tells me that there are too many police officers of various law enforcement branches.